Daughter of Monterey Park Shooting Survivor Describes Massacre

A woman whose mother survived a mass shooting at a ballroom dance club during Lunar New Year celebrations in California has described the massacre in a post on social media.

Ten people were killed in the shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park on Saturday night, while at least another 10 were injured.

Authorities identified the suspect as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran and said he was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a van on Sunday following a thwarted shooting attempt at another dance studio in the nearby city of Alhambra.

Mae Ikigai wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday night that her mother had survived the shooting but four of her friends had not.

She wrote that her mother was recovering in hospital. Ikigai was not able to visit her mother because of a no-visitors policy, but "being able to hear her voice on the phone and know that she's not in critical condition gave us a lot of inner peace," she wrote.

"However, what she was about to tell us might be the most heartbreaking and painful thing she had to witness and experience," Ikigai said.

She said her mother recalled being about five tables away from where the gunman stood.

"She was dancing with her friends and dance instructor when she heard a noise that sounded like fireworks. She turned around and saw a man holding a long gun firing indiscriminately," Ikigai wrote.

"She quickly got down on the ground and felt her left shoulder and waist grazed by one of the bullets. The shooting lasted about 6-7 seconds and then the gunman left."

Ikigai said one of her mother's close friends had been very near where the gunman was so her mother "quickly got up and went to find her friend."

When she did, Ikigai said her mother "shook her friend and said, 'wake up, wake up the gunman's gone.' Her friend did not respond so she shook her even harder and kept telling her to wake up.

"Suddenly she saw a lot of blood coming out from her friend's mouth. At that moment she realized her friend was gone. The gunman had shot her friend in the brain."

Ikigai said her family "is beyond grateful" that her mother survived the shooting.

"My mom lost 4 of her friends and a huge part of her life last night. She said she will not be returning to the dancing community and will focus this time on her healing and family," Ikigai wrote. "We send our deepest condolences to the victims of last night's shooting and their families. May those who are hurt and their families find peace and comfort in this time of recovery."

At a news conference on Sunday evening, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the motive for the attack remained unclear. He did not identify the victims, but said that all of the people killed appeared to be over 50.

Newsweek has contacted Mae Ikigai for further comment.

Update 01/23/23, 7:58 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include additional information.